A veteran television actress and Broadway star of the 50s Rue McClanahan was an actress noticed by television executive Norman Lear Lear cast her in a number of television shows including All in the Family 1971 with Carroll OConnor and Maude 1972 with Bea Arthur McClanahan next costarred with Vicki Lawrence Ken Berry Betty White and Carol Burnett in Mamas Family 1983 for three years and after it was canceled by NBC McClanahan was probably best known for her role as the saucy sharp southern belle Blanche in The Golden Girls 1985 She once again worked with Bea Arthur and Betty White and with relative newcomer Estelle Getty All four of the women won Emmy Awards for their roles After Bea Arthur left the show after eight seasons McClanahan White and Getty returned for a brief spinoff in The Golden Palace 1992 In the midnineties McClanahan was diagnosed with cancer but was able to fight it successfully In addition to lending her talents to a number of made for TV films McClanahan has also appeared on the big screen in recent years costarring with Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau in the comedy Out to Sea 1997 and with Casper Van Dien in Starship Troopers 1997 McClanahan also spends her time joining and helping organizations against cancer AIDS and cruelty against animals
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